Guide roller assembly



Allg- 1965 J. J. CARLETON ETAL 3,199,930

GUIDE ROLLER ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 29, 1962 J7me. JCarLe/anf BY Jive/def ATTORNEY United States Patent 0 3,199,930 GUIDE ROLLER ASSEMBLY James J. Carleton and Edward J. King, Detroit, Mich., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 29, 1962, Ser. No. 220,297 6 Claims. (Cl. 3086) This invention relates to a guide roller assembly and more particularly to a guide roller assembly for vehicle body window regulator mechanisms.

In the usual vehicle body window regulator mechanism, the window regulator lift arm pivotally mounts a guide roller at its free swinging end which is received within a guide channel secured to the window in order to operatively connect the window to the lift arm. Normally. the window and the lift arm move in substantially parallel planes, but in certain instances, such as wherein the window is of curved cross section, th window and the lift arm may move in non-parallel planes.

The guide roller of this invention has particular usefulness in those instances wherein the lift arm swings in a plane other than a plane parallel to the plane of movement of the window since it permits both the window and the lift arm to move in non-parallel planes While maintaining an operative, rattle-free connection between the lift arm and the window. Certain window regulator mechanisms also conventionally include channels which are mounted on the body for guiding movement of the window or movement of various other members of the window regulator mechanism, such as the balance arm. The guide roller of this invention is also useful in those instances wherein either the window or the window regulator member moves in a plane other than a plane parallel to the plane of the guide channel. Thus, the guide roller assembly of this invention may be used for connecting an operating member to an operated member or for connecting a guided member to a guiding member to allow for relative nonparallel movement while maintaining an operative rattle-free connection between the connected members.

One feature of this invention is that it provides an improved guide roller assembly for connecting an operating member to an operated member. A further feature of this invention is that it proves an improved guide roller assembly for connecting a guided member to a guiding member. Yet another feature of this invention is that it provides an improved guide roller assembly including a roller member and universal joint means connecting the roller member and a mounting or connecting member to permit the members to rotate relative to each other about a plurality of axes. Yet a further feature of this invention is that it provides an improved guide roller assembly for connecting a window operating or guiding means to a window and permitting the window and the operating or guiding means to move relative to each other in non-parallel planes.

These and other features and advantages of the guide roller assembly of this invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a view partially in section of a guide roller assembly according to this invention, and

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of FIGURE 1.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, an elongate guide or cam channel 10 is of generally elongated C cross sectional shape. Although not shown in the drawings, channel 10 is conventionally secured to the lower edge portion of a vehicle window and forms part of the operative connection between the Window and one or more arms of the window regulator mechanism, such as the lift arm or balance arm.

A roller member 12 of nylon or other similar antifriction type material is slidably and rotatably received within the channel 10 for movement longitudinally thereof. The member 12 includes a hub portion 14 which extends outwardly of the opening of the channel 10 and is provided with a frusto-conically shaped or tapered bore 16 which opens at its narrow end to a generally semi-spherically shaped opening or seat 18. The axis of the bore 16 defines the axis of rotation of the member 12.. A shouldered cylindrical mounting or connecting member 20 includes a ball portion 22 which is complementary in shape to the seat 18 and seats thereagainst, with member 20 extending outwardly of the hub portion 14 and having its shouldered end fixed to a lift arm or operating member 24 of a window regulator mechanism. A conical spring washer 26 seats on the member 24 and includes a central conical apertured flange 28 which receives the member 29 therethrough and resiliently seats against the tapered end surface or portion 31] of the hub 14, which is generally complementary in shape to the flange 23, to resiliently hold the ball portion 22 in engagement with seat 18.

The operating member 24 normally swings in the same plane and, should the channel 10 move in a plane other than a plane parallel to the plane of movement of the member 24, the roller member 12 will shift or move relative to the member 20 as it rotates or slides within the channel 10 to permit this non-parallel movement of the channel 10 relative to the member 20. The tapered bore 16 of the member 12 permits this movement of the members 12 and 20 relative to each other, and the washer 26 continuously biases the member 12 and member 24 oppositely with respect to each other to hold the ball portion 22 in tight rattle-free engagement with the seat 18. In those instances wherein the channel 10 is fixedly mounted on the body to guide movement of the window or movement of various other members of the window regulator mechanism, such as the balance arm, the window or balance arm will shift relative to the channel 10, and it is believed apparent from the foregoing discussion, that the guide roller assembly will function in the same manner as previously described.

Thus, this invention provides a new and improved guide roller assembly.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination comprising, a guide channel, a window regulator member, and a guide roller assembly for rotatably and slidably interconnecting the regulator member and the guide channel including, a roller member having an annular portion rotatably and slidably received within the guide channel, a roller mounting member secured to the regulator member, a semispherically shaped seat formed on one of said roller and roller mounting members, a ball portion formed on the other of said roller and roller mounting members complementary in shape to said seat and bearing thereagainst to universally connect said roller member and said mounting member and permit rotational movement of said members relative to each other about a plurality of axes upon relative movement of the regulator member and the guide channel as said roller member annular portion rotates and slides relative to the guide channel, and resilient means holding said ball portion in engagement with said seat.

2. The combination comprising, a guide channel, a window regulator member, and a guide roller assembly for rotatably and slidably interconnecting the regulator member and the guide channel including, an apertured roller member having an annular portion rotatably and slidably received within the guide channel and including a generally scmispherically shaped seat surrounding the aperture therein, a roller mounting member secured to the regulator member and received within the aperture of said roller member and including a ball portion complementary in shape to said seat and cngagcable therewith to universally connect said members and permit rotational movement of said roller member relative to said mounting member about a plurality of axes upon relative movement of the regulator member and the guide channel as said roller member annular portion rotates and slides relative to the guide channel, and resilient means holding said ball portion in engagement with said seat.

3. The combination comprising, a guide channel, a window regulator member, and a guide roller assembly for rotatably and slidably interconnecting the regulator member and the guide channel including, a roller member having an annular portion rotatably and slidably received within the guide channel and including a hub portion provided with a tapered bore opening to a generally semispherically shaped seat surrounding the narrow opening of said bore, a roller mounting member secured to the regulator member and received within said bore and including a ball portion complementary in shape to said seat and engageaole therewith to universally connect said members and permit relative movement of the regulator member and the guide channel as the roller member annular portion rotates and slides relative to the guide channel, said roller member being rotatable relative to said mounting member about a plurality of axes upon movement thereof relative to said mounting member and movement of said ball portion relative to said seat, and resilient means holding said ball portion in engagement with said seat.

4. A guide roller assembly as recited in claim 3 wh rein said resilient means are located between the hub portion of said roller member and the regulator member and scat thereagainst.

5. A guide roller assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said roller member hub portion is provided with a tapered surface and said resilient means includes a resilient member having a complementary tapered surface engaging the hub portion surface and seated against the regulator member.

6. A guide roller assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein the hub portion tapered bore tapers outwardly relative to said seat and terminates in an oppositely tapered edge portion, and wherein said resilient means includes an annular spring member seating on the regulator member and having a tapered portion complementary to the oppositely tapered edge portion of the hub portion.

Reterences Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 526,013 9/94 Howard 308l8 2,771,326 11/56 Smith 308l81 2,912,238 11/59 Griswold 308-6 2,993,717 7/61 Gottschald.

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,102,856 5/55 France.

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner.

FRANK SUSKO, Examiner. 

1. THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, A GUIDE CHANNEL, A WINDOW REGULATOR MEMBER, AND A GUIDE ROLLER ASSEMBLY FOR ROTATABLY AND SLIDABLY INTERCONNECTING THE REGULATOR MEMBER AND THE GUIDE CHANNEL INCLUDING, A ROLLER MEMBER HAVING AN ANNULAR PORTION ROTATABLY AND SLIDABLY RECEIVED WITHIN THE GUIDE CHANNEL, A ROLLER MOUNTING MEMBER SECURED TO THE REGULATOR MEMBER, A SEMISPHERICALLY SHAPED SEAT FORMED ON ONE OF SAID ROLLER AND ROLLER MOUNTING MEMBERS, A BALL PORTION FORMED ON THE OTHER OF SAID ROLLER AND ROLLER MOUNTING MEMBERS COMPLEMENTARY IN SHAPE TO SAID SEAT AND BEARING THEREAGAINST TO UNIVERSALLY CONNECT SAID ROLLER MEMBER AND SAID MOUNTING MEMBER AND PERMIT ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBERS RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER ABOUT A PLURALITY OF AXES UPON RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE REGULATOR MEMBER AND THE GUIDE CHANNEL AS SAID ROLLER MEMBER ANNULAR PORTION ROTATES AND SLIDES RELATIVE TO THE GUIDE CHANNEL, AND RESILIENT MEANS HOLDING SAID BALL PORTION IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SEAT. 